Coin-controlled apparatus.



(No Model.)

Patented lune II, will. H. S. MILLS. GDIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

(Application filed Jan. 14, 1901.) I

4 Sheets-Sheet L I72 $67250 7" g feraerz rwazas,

No. 676,|46. Patented June 5!, I901.

H. S. MILLS;

CHEN CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

(Application filed Jan. 14, 1901.)

(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet Z.

II" Ill-lull: I

n IllllllllllllIlliii Nu. 676,l46. Patented lune IIJQOL H. S. MILLS.

SHIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

(Application filed Ian. 14, 1901.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Nu. 67$,l46. Patented lune |I,l90l. H. S. MILLS. COIN CUNTBULLED APPARATUS.

(Application filed Jan. 14, 1901.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

lit w//////////////J/// Inf/67213072 mire-exhibiting machine.

NiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT S. MILLS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COIN-CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 676,146, dated June 11, 1901.

Application filed January 14, 1901. Serial No. 43,137. (No model.)

To [all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that 1, Ilnannnr S. MILLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented a new and useful Im proveinent in Coin-Controlled Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to coincontrolled apparatus for use in connection with pictureexhibiting machines and vending-machines of various descriptions, though the invention may be employed in connection with automatic machines of any description wherein coins are employed as a means for securing some desired thing or en My object is to provide apparatus or mechanism of the nature described which shall be simple in construction, little liable to get out of order, and certain'in action.

In the preferred construction there is employed a spring-driven shaft for operating the machine to which the coin-controlled appa ratns is app1ied,a winding-shaft connected withsaid first-named shaft, a coin-stop projecting normally into the coin-passagc, a locking device for the spring-driven shaft con nected with said coin-stop, and a locking device for the winding-shaft provided with a coin-engaging part located adjacent to the coin-passage.

In the accompanying drawings my invention is illustrated in connection with a pic- In the preferred construction a-cam is employed for unlock ing the spring-driven shaft, and the locking device for the winding -shaft comprises a ratchet-wheel provided with a suitable recess for engaging the companion locking member connected with the coinengaging arm above mentioned. It may be here stated that when a coin is dropped into the coin-passage it serves as a means for holding the ratchet-wheel-engaging locking member out of locking engagement with "the ratchet-wheel, thereby permitting the sprifig to be wound up;- hen the windingis eompletedor nearly completed, the

cam serves to release the locking device of the spring-actuated shaft, thereby permitting it to operate the machine'to which the apparatus is applied. I

In the drawings, Figure l is a viewinside and serving in a well-known manner to exhibit one picture at atime; E, Figs.

elevation showing a picture-exhibiting machine to which my invention is applied; Fig.

2, an enlarged broken section parallel to the side of the machine and taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3, a broken plan view of the near or left-hand side of the machine;

.Fig. 4, a broken sectional view taken as indicated at line 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a broken sectional view taken as indicated at'line 5 of Fig. 3 and showing one position of 'the looking device for the spring-driven shaft; Fig. 6, 1

a View of a locking member comprising a portion of the locking device for the spring-driven shaft; Fig. 7, an edge view of the same; Fig. 7, a broken view serving withFig. 5 to illustrate the release of the spring-driven shaft; Fig. 8, a broken section taken as indicatedat line 8 of Fig. 3 and showing one position of the locking device for the winding-shaft; Fig. 9, a similar section, but with the springconnection between the winding-shaft and the spring-driven shaft omitted; and Fig. 10, a view similar to Fig. 9, but showing a difierent position of the locking device for the winding-shaft.

The general'construction of the picture-exhibiting machine here shown iswell understood, and the same will be described in a general way only.

. A represents a machine-frame whose sides are provided with upward extensions a a, connected by the rod (1 B, a picture-exhibiting wheel, drum, or cylinder rigidly secured to a shaft B, journaled in the side's of the frame; G, picture-frames connected with the drum B in a well-known manner and normally held, in a given position by springs in a well-understood manner; D, a regulating or controlling device supported on' the rod o g 3 and4, a spring-driven shaft, which serves, t the medium of a pinion c and a gear 0', to impart motion to the shaft B; F, a bracket suproughported from one of the side frames of-the machine and serving to receive the shaft E; G,

a winding-shaft journaled inthe box d, with which theside frame is provided, and having V at its inner end a "ratchet-wheel G, with which is rigidly connected a cam- G; G, a coil-spring connected with theratchet-wheel G bymeans of a. stud orpin f, Fig. 3, and with the shaftE- by-means of a stud or pin foo ' thereofse'rves to lockthe winding-shaft; J, a

f, 4; H',- 'a'; coin-chute provided witha slot g, extending transversely of the chute;- as shown in Figs. 2 and 3; I, a-lockingar n. or member-for the shaft E, and which is .rigidly connected with said shaft; 1', a locking memberywhichfcoaets withthearm I and is pivoted to the frame of the machine on a studh; I, a coin-stop projecting forwardlyfrom the pivoted part If; J, a 'locking morn; -b er for'the winding-shaft, which coacts with; [the ratchet-wheel G and through the'mediu'm' coin,- engaging arm carried by the locking: memberJ and serving when a coin iseugaged' thereby as a retaining device for holdingtlie'loching member J out of locking en-' jgagement with .the ratchet-wheel'G'; K, a handle, through; the medium of which the "winding-shaft is moved, and L afs'peed-regulater or governor having apinion k,- engaging the gear c' and provided with a vane The construction of the locking device for the winjd-ing-shat't is shown in Figs. 8 to 10., inc'lnsive.- -'1he ratohet-wheel G is provided with arecess Z, having an inclined surfacel', a surface I at an angle thereto, and -a lockiii'gv-shonlde'rl The-member J is provided witlira locking-head having a shoulder l, which serves-to prevent retraction 10f the rate'lieiw-heel as the latter is wonnd up, and I a shoulder l, whiehserves to prevent turning of' theratehet whe'el in the direction. of the winditig',.except"when afcoin serves to holttthe memberJ-out of locking engage- '5 mentwlth the ratchet-wheel. The point of thearmxJfinwmallgr enters the slot glill' the-flout walllot the coin-passage, and the spring m, attached to the member J and a stationary partof the machine,-'serves to 'movejtiiegruifJf to' bring the point m into ehgagemehtwitha coinwhen the headof thsme'mber J' 'enters the reeess-lg- Fig; 10 illustrates the mannerin which the shoulder Pengages the shoulder l. when an effort-is madhtoi turnthe'winding-shaft when no coin Y is in 'thepath'ofthe point m.

'Figsfl and3iillnstrate the position of the parts-when the. machine is at rest and show how the'coinstop I'-'projects' tl 1rough theslot q,in the rear wall of thecoi n-passage and into tlie path of the coin, thereby to hold the-coin at the proper height tobe engaged by the point m when the machine is operated. The' 1 arm or member I',"whiehispivoted' on the.

same stud'h as is the 'memberJ,-,isprovided on' one' surface withliigs n wand on the'opposite side with-al'ug The. logs -nn" are separatedbythespace or channelf'n The Ing'n is provld'ed'with an inclinedsurface n; Which-ends-atits upper part in anoverhanging'sh oulder'n -The lug n 'has-on its tillder sidefaii inclined planelocking-snrface Theispring'n, connected withthe member-I- andiwith a. station'arypart, tends redraw the member iii't'oward the shaft E. 'The log n v bearsfiiponithe'periphery'of' the cam G during-th'e' greater. part of the revolution thereof;

winding of the spring. coin is in position to be engaged by the end an of the arm J ,.the ratchet-wheel G canbe moved till the surface Z is engagedby the teeth of the ratchet-wheel beneath the recess l,which"rocks the member J, thereby moving the part m awayjfrom the coin; The point m is held in the retracted position ll-lletil the, ratchet-wheel G has nearly completed a revolution, by which time the stop P'will have been withdrawn from the coin-passage, after which the point m is free to pass through the slot g in the coin-chute, thereby permitting the headof the'member J to enter the recessl and lock the ratchet-wheel. Fig. '5 illustrates the manner in which the arm I is released frond the stop n to permit the springdriven shaft E to rotate.

vide'd with a -recess q, ending in an abrupt shoulder Q', and adjacent to said shoulder .with a raised portion q. While the oath G2 is ma'king a revolution during thetnrning of the:wvinding-shaft the lug niof the looking a member I' bears upon the periphery of the .jca'm The initial movement of the cain is permitted by reason of the fact that the memberl' i) held'away from-the cam-wheel by the arm I, as illustrated in Fig. 6, whereby the shoulder qis permit-ted to pass the lug n Further; movement of the cam brings the raised part q in beneath the lug n thereby rocking the member I farther away from the shaft E. The tension of the spring G tends constantly to rotate the Aarm I inthe direction indicated in Fig. 5,

i ne ratchet-'wheel G. and the 0am G are provided wit-h'spacing-lugs, as shown in Fig. 4, thereby atfording between them a housing for t-haspringG 4 The device L is'ofi a well-known construc tion and requires no detailed description. Motign'is communicated to the-vane 7o. from thepinion k, and'the vane, by engaging the air/ i'ser'ves'to regulate thespeeda No novelty isclainied for. this deviceaside from its confnection with the other portions of the coin} 'eentrblied apparatus. l

I The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description. The stop If projects normally into the coin passage; When a coin".gis dropped into the chute H, it rests upon said stop, -as illustrated in Fig. 8', where the arm. Iand coin-support I are shown in dotted lines. Bytnrning the'handie K in the direction indicated by thearrow in Fig.'-1 the ratchet-wheel G is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in'Fi'g'; 8. When the'machineis at rest, the arm'I -is in' the positionrepresented by dotted-'llnenin Fig. 6, and a'lugp, with whichsaid arm is pro vided, engages the" shoulder n ofthelug-n on the arm I. "Ihus .thearm I serves to hold the member I away from 'the-eam-wheel, so theft thelug n isout of'engagementwiththe-periphery of saidwheel; Atthes'ametimethe slio'ul- 5 der n serves to lock thearml, therebypre ven'ting'rotation of the shaft E during the Assuming that the nd when the'raised The cam G is proa'ndmoves mtocontact with the lug a.

As thecam rotates farther, the arm I is permit ted to move closer to the shaft E and the lug p enters the channel a This movement continues until the lug p clears the outer portion of the lug n, when the arm I is free to rotate. This it does under the influence of the spring connected with the shaft E, and asit nears the completion of the revolution the lug 12 comes into contact with'theinclined surface it of the lug n and forces the arm I away-from theshaft E. Prior to this move- 'riphery of. the cam,

,of the cam and locks the same. 'arm I is. forced-outwardly in the manner of the arrow will be hindered by the head of ment the lug-n which bears upon the peengages the shoulder then the stated, the cam becomes disengaged from the lug n Thus it appears that the lug n is in position to engage the lug q after onewinding operation is completed and is soon thereafter moved away'from-the cam when the arm I completes its revolution. the ratchet-wheel G after one revolution is to revolve underthe influence of its spring in a direction the reverse of that indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8. Thus the normal position of the ratchet-wheel and the locking memberJ is shown in Fig. 8. Any attempt .to rotate the ratchet-wheel in the direction the member G entering the recess Z and the shoulder Z becoming engaged with the shoulder 1 This will always bethe case except when a coin is interposed, as described.

. The foregoing description of operation relates to'the coin-controlled apparatus alone.

Afterthe spring connected with the shaft E iswound up and the'arm' I released,thereby permitting the shaft E to rotate, motion is communicated to the shaft 13 of the picture exhibiting machine through the medium of the pinion c and the gearc. As the cylinder B rotates, the device D serves to exhibit one picture at a time, as illustrated in Fig. 1', and in a manner'now well understood in the art. In the construction shown the shaft E is so geared to the shaft B that during one rotation'of the shaft E twelve pictures are exhibited to view. During the operation of the machine the vane It serves to resist increase of speed, thereby regulating the movement. The invention may be embodied in other forms of apparatus and the apparatus may be applied to any machine of the general character mentioned. No limitation is to be understood, therefore, fromthe foregoing detailed description, except as shall appear from the appended claims.

The shaft E and, attendant parts may be regarded as mechanism fol-imparting motion to the machineto which the apparatus is applied, and the shaft G and attendant parts may be regarded as manual means for actu-" ating said mechanism. The parts E and G eated by a spring. I is released from the shoulder 71 The tendency of.

p Locking devices are pro vided for both said parts, one locking device having connection with the coin-stop and the other locking device having connection with the coin-engaging part.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, ,is-

1.- In apparatus ofv the character described, the combination of a driven part, a locking device therefor, a coin-stop connected with said locking device,'a driving part connected with said driven part, a locking d-evicefor said driving part, means for releasing the lock of said driven part, a coin-passage, and a coin-engaging part carried by the locking device of said driving part and serving, whena coin is interposed, to restrain the locking de vice of the driving part, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. a

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a spring-driven part, a

spring for actuating the same, means for set ting said spring, a locking device for the spring-driven part, a-coin-stop carried by said locking device, a locking device for'said spring-setting means, a coin-passage, and a coin-engaging part carried by said last-named locking device, said coin-engaging part being located above said coin-stop, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In apparatus of the character-described, the combination of a spring-driven shaft, a locking member connected therewith, a pivoted locking member coacting with said fi'rstnamed locking member and carrying a coinstop, a windingshaft, a spring connected with said shafts, a locking member carried by said winding-shaft, a pivoted locking member engaging the member on said winding-shaft, a coin-passage, and a coin-engaging arm carried by said last-named pivoted member, substantially as described.

4. In apparatus of the'character described, the combination of a spring-driven shaft, a locking member carried thereby, a locking member movably connected with a stationary part of the apparatus-and coacting with said first-named locking member, a coin-stop carried by said second-mentioned lockingmember, a winding-shaft, a cam carried by said winding-shaft controlling one of said locking members, a ratchet-wheel onsaid windingshaft, a locking member movably connected with a stationary part of the apparatus and coacting said ratchet-wheel, means on said ratchet-wheel for lockingly engaging said lastnamed locking member, a coin passage, a coin-en gaging arm carried bysaid last-named locking member, and means for setting said winding-shaft, substantially as described.

5. In apparatus of the character described, a coin-passage, a coin-stop projecting normally theroiuto, a coin-engaging part located adjacent to said coin-stop, mechanism for actuating the machine to which the apparatus said manual means, whichjlocking device is driven shaft,'an interposed spring, an arm on said driven shaft having a locking-lug, a piv-' oted arm provided with a lug n having an inclined surface n, and an overhanging shoulder 91 having also a lug n separated from the lug n, a spring tending to draw the pivoted arm-toward said driven shaft, a cam carried" by said winding-shaft, a lag on said pivoted arm engaging said cam and serving to disengage the lug on the shaft-carried arm from the shoulder n, a locking device for the win i;

ing-shaft, and a coin-engaging arm carried by said last-named locking 7 device, substantially as described.

ing' member I, a locking member I, a coinstop I, a cam G, a'ratchet-wheelG', a looking member J, and means for turning the Winding-shaft, substantially as described.

8. In apparatus of the character described, a spring-driven shaft, a driving-shaft, an ineve,14e

terposed spring, a lockingmember on the I vided with means for lockingly engaging said second named locking member, a ratchet wheel on said winding-shaft and carrying a locking. member, a locking member movably connectedwith a stationary part and serving to engage said last-named locking member, and a coin-stop and a coin-"engaging device connected with two of saidlocking members,

substantially as and for the purpose set forth.-

9. In apparatus of thechara'cter described,

the combination with mechanism for actuating a machine to which the apparatus is applied aud manual means for imparting mo-' tion to said mechanism, of locking devices '7. In apparatus of the'character described; the combination of a spring-drivewshaft, a winding-shaft, an interposed spring, a lock-- for said inechaiiismgand manual means car;

rying a coin-stop I and a coin-engaging part G',-the coin-passage being slotted to receive said stop and said "coin-engaging part, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

HERBERT S. MILLS. In presence of-:

D. W. LEE,' I ALBERT DJBaccr. 

